Good evening. I’m just
returning from the White House, where I met with the President and
the national security team, and I want to give you an update on the
international community’s efforts to implement UN Security Council
Resolutions 1970 and
1973, and protect the civilians of Libya. Events have moved very
quickly, so let’s be clear about where we stand and how we got here.

When the Libyan people sought to realize their democratic
aspirations, they were met by extreme violence from their own
government. The Libyan people appealed to the world to help stop the
brutal attacks on them, and the world listened. The Arab League
called for urgent action.

In response, the UN
Security Council mandated all necessary measures to protect
civilians, including a no-fly zone. But the regime’s forces
continued their assaults, and last weekend they reached Benghazi
itself. We faced the prospect of an imminent humanitarian disaster.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians were in danger.

So an
international coalition was compelled to act. French planes were the
first to reach the skies over Benghazi. Cruise missiles from the
United States and the United Kingdom followed, striking the region
--
the regime’s air defenses and clearing the way for allied aircraft
to implement the no-fly zone.

Many other nations
have now joined this effort. After only five days, we have made
significant progress. A massacre in Benghazi was prevented. Gaddafi's air force and air defenses have been rendered largely
ineffective, and the coalition is in control of the skies above
Libya. Humanitarian relief is beginning to reach the people who need
it. For example, just today we learned that at least 18 doctors and
nurses from an organization funded by the
United States Agency for
International Development had arrived in Benghazi and were beginning
to provide support to the city’s main hospital.

Gaddafi's troops have
been pushed back but they remain a serious threat to the safety of
the people. From the start, President Obama has stressed that the
role of the U.S. military would be limited in time and scope. Our
mission has been to use America’s unique capabilities to create the
conditions for the no-fly zone and to assist in meeting urgent
humanitarian needs. And as expected, we’re already seeing a
significant reduction in the number of U.S. planes involved in
operations as the number of planes from other countries increase in
numbers.

Today we are taking the
next step. We have agreed, along with our NATO allies, to transition
command and control for the no-fly zone over Libya to NATO. All 28
allies have also now authorized military authorities to develop an
operations plan for NATO to take on the broader civilian protection
mission under Resolution 1973.

NATO is well-suited to
coordinating this international effort and ensuring that all
participating nations are working effectively together toward our
shared goals. This coalition includes countries beyond NATO,
including Arab partners, and we expect all of them to be providing
important political guidance going forward.

We have always said that
Arab leadership and participation is crucial. The Arab League showed
that leadership with its pivotal statement on Libya. They joined the
discussions in Paris last weekend on implementation, and we are
deeply appreciative of their continuing contributions, including
aircrafts and pilots from Qatar.

This evening, the United
Arab Emirates announced they are joining the coalition and sending
planes to help protect Libyan civilians and enforce the no-fly zone.
We welcome this important step. It underscores both the breadth of
this international coalition and the depth of concern in the region
for the plight of the Libyan people.

In the days ahead, as
NATO assumes command and control responsibilities, the welfare of
those civilians will be of paramount concern. This operation has
already saved many lives, but the danger is far from over. As long
as the Gaddafi regime threatens its people and defies the United
Nations, we must remain vigilant and focused.

To continue coordinating
with our partners and charting the way forward, I will travel to
London to attend an international conference on Tuesday, convened by
the United Kingdom. Our military will continue to provide support to
our efforts to make sure that Security Council Resolutions 1970 and
1973 will be enforced.

This is an important
effort that has garnered the support and the active participation of
nations who recognize the significance of coming together in the
international community, through the United Nations, to set forth a
clear statement of action to be taken in order to protect innocent
civilians from their own government. It is an effort that we believe
is very important, and we’ll look forward to coordinating closely
with all those nations that are participating.